Srinagar urged to suspend building exemptions pending planning review

Planning experts and civic groups in Srinagar are pressing the municipal administration to impose a moratorium on development exemptions that currently operate outside the city's comprehensive planning guidelines. The campaign targets Floor Area Ratio (FAR) relaxations and land-use exemptions, which the petitioners argue have been issued without sufficient oversight or alignment with long-term urban development strategy.

The call to suspend these exemptions represents a broader push to strengthen Srinagar's urban governance framework. Proponents contend that such waivers have historically circumvented the Master Plan process, allowing projects to proceed with minimal public input and potentially undermining coordinated city growth. They argue for bringing all exemptions within the Master Plan's regulatory structure before they are granted.

Central to the demand is the inclusion of Section 22 provisions in the proposed moratorium. This section, according to the advocacy, has been used to grant additional exemptions without adequate transparency. Petitioners have urged municipal authorities to suspend such provisions until a formal review is completed.

The campaign signals growing concern about Srinagar's development trajectory and calls for more rigorous, transparent planning processes. Implementation of these recommendations would require municipal authorities to conduct a comprehensive audit of existing exemptions and establish clearer criteria for any future waivers, ensuring they align with the city's long-term planning objectives.